What NHTSA's record says
Daimler Trucks North America filed NHTSA campaign 26V702 for 13,593 Thomas Built school buses. The population covers certain model-year 2023–2027 Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley buses, 2025–2027 Saf-T-Liner C2 buses, and 2026–2027 Saf-T-Liner HDX2 and EFX2 buses.
NHTSA's record says wheelhouse body interior joints may have been manufactured incorrectly, leaving insufficient joint strength. The filing identifies a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 221, which covers school-bus body joint strength.
Risk, remedy and timing
NHTSA says insufficient joint strength may reduce passenger protection in a crash and increase injury risk. The campaign does not include a Do Not Drive or Park Outside instruction, and this report does not claim a crash or injury occurred.
Dealers are expected to add fasteners to secure the affected joints at no charge. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed December 21, 2026. The manufacturer's campaign number is F1044.
What school-bus drivers and fleets should do
A model name or year does not confirm that a specific bus is included. Districts and contractors should check every VIN through NHTSA or an authorized Thomas Built service channel, then follow the manufacturer remedy and fleet maintenance process.
Drivers should report recall notices, visible body damage or maintenance concerns through their employer's defect-reporting procedure. The recall does not change CDL or school-bus endorsement rules and is not a substitute for required pre-trip and post-trip inspections.
Primary sources and supporting records
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Recall campaign 26V702000Primary recall record establishing the affected population, defect, consequence, remedy and notification schedule • Published 2026-10-22 • Checked November 2, 2026 at 5:10 PM
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Check for RecallsOfficial VIN lookup and current recall-status resource • Checked November 2, 2026 at 5:10 PM
- Truck Parts & Service: Recall report: 26K Kenworth, Peterbilt trucks have possible fuel hose leakCurrent commercial-vehicle trade coverage that surfaced the school-bus campaign • Published 2026-11-02 • Checked November 2, 2026 at 5:10 PM
- Thomas Built Buses: School BusesOfficial manufacturer model-line reference • Checked November 2, 2026 at 5:10 PM
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